Visitor numbers at Minnesota hunger relief sites are keeping a record-breaking pace and a new state law provides flexibility when accessing a key source of nutrition.
Starting this month, food shelves across the state can accept donated eggs past their quality assurance date, with 30 days as the cutoff point. Before the law change, sites had to throw out eggs once they reached their “sell by” date.
Dan Narr, executive director of the ICA Food Shelf in the Twin Cities west metro, said there is a grace period to safely eat eggs and the move eases pressure on households struggling with high grocery costs.
"You have a healthy choice through eggs that is there to be able to help bridge the gap between the people — who can't afford to buy a lot of the meat — have an opportunity to get that protein," Narr explained.
In addition to the 30-day limit, eggs must be in their original packaging and kept under continuous refrigeration. A July report from the Food Group says there were more than 9 million visits to Minnesota food shelves last year, a record number for the state.
Narr noted giving the eggs a longer shelf life also helps smaller farms in food distribution networks. Narr pointed out like consumers, they are struggling with inflationary pressure and other market forces. Hunger relief sites can step in and buy excess products.
"I look at it as an economic development opportunity to help support the farming community in challenging times," Narr added.
Narr stressed operations playing a role in confronting food insecurity face a lot of unknowns over the next few years. He would like to see more policy solutions as new federal SNAP rules place pressure on program enrollment, adding the rules and the ripple effects from inflation are likely to keep demand high for the foreseeable future.
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